Part 1
Your own direct booking site
A branded, mobile-first self-booking page with real availability. Past guests book again without the OTA — and without the 15.5% host fee on that stay.
For Airbnb & VRBO hosts
Airbnb now takes 15.5% straight from your payout. Here's how to keep more of it.
I'm a software consultant and I host 3 properties with my wife. When the 15.5% host-only fee hit our payouts, we built self-booking sites for our own rentals — and now set up the same system for other hosts.
This complements Airbnb — it does not replace first-time guest discovery.
The shift
What changed on Airbnb
Airbnb moved from a split fee (~3% host / 12–14% guest) to a single 15.5% host-only service fee — shifted entirely onto hosts starting October 2025. For many PMS-connected accounts, rollout continued through 2026.
$115 booking
Guest pays$115.00
Airbnb host fee (15.5%)− $17.80
You keep (before your costs)$97.20
$200/night stay
Nightly rate$200.00
Airbnb host fee (15.5%)− $31.00
Per booking, every timeunless guests rebook direct
Cleaning fees can also be subject to the host-side deduction — not just the nightly rate.
That fee is unavoidable on Airbnb bookings. It's completely avoidable on direct ones.
The offer
Direct Rebook Kit
Three practical pieces — built once, no revenue share, no lock-in.
Part 2
QR / tap-to-book card
A print-ready card for inside your rental. Guests scan on the way out and save your direct booking link for next time.
Part 3
Guest email capture
A simple opt-in so you can reach past guests again — on your terms, without paying 15.5% to do it. No obligation to run campaigns.
Remember
Airbnb still brings new guests. This kit is for the ones who already loved your place.
Why it works
Skip the fee on repeat stays
Every direct booking avoids the 15.5% fee. Keep your full rate as extra profit — or price slightly below your Airbnb listing and still net more per night.
On a $115 night, that's $17.80 back in your pocket. Multiply that across return guests over a season.
Two common approaches
Match your Airbnb rate on direct → higher margin.
Price a little lower on direct → guest saves, you still beat the OTA payout.
Process
How it works
-
Send property details and photos
Rates, availability source, location, and a few images that feel like your place.
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Site + QR card built in 5–7 business days
Branded direct-booking page plus print-ready tap-to-book artwork. No tech setup required on your end.
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Place the QR card in your rental
Past guests scan when they're planning a return trip.
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Add monthly services anytime — or don't
Keep it at the flat-fee site, or add post-stay emails, seasonal updates, or SEO later. Entirely your call.
Proof
We use this on our own properties
My wife and I host 3 properties across TN and NC. The 15.5% fee shift is why we built our own direct-booking sites first — booking site, in-unit QR card, and guest email capture — and why we now help other hosts do the same.
- Repeat guests rebook without the 15.5% Airbnb host fee
- We can price direct stays slightly below our OTA listing and still keep more
- Airbnb stays on for discovery — we're not asking you to leave the platform
- No revenue share, no lock-in, no contracts
Happy to connect — reach out anytime.
Pricing
Built for hosts ready to keep more of what they earn
Four tiers — from a flat-fee site with no monthly commitment to full ongoing SEO. All monthly services are optional, cancel anytime, no contracts.
| Just the Site | Direct Rebook Kit | Rebook + Seasonal | Full Visibility | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Direct-booking home base, no monthly commitment | Automated post-stay follow-up + Google presence | Seasonal nurture for past guests, hands-off | 2+ properties or competitive tourist markets |
| Setup fee | $750 (1 property) $1,000 (2–3) |
$1,250–$1,750 | $1,750–$2,500 | $2,500–$3,500 |
| Monthly (optional) | None | $49–$99/mo | $99–$179/mo | $249–$399/mo |
| Booking site + QR card | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Guest email capture | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Post-stay email sequence | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Google Business Profile | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Basic on-page SEO | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Seasonal guest emails | — | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Local SEO content pages | — | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Full ongoing SEO | — | — | — | ✓ |
Tier 1
Just the Site
$750 (1 property) · $1,000 (2–3)
One-time · no monthly commitment
A direct-booking home base and QR card in your rental — nothing more, nothing less.
- Branded direct-booking website with your photos, details, and amenities
- Live booking widget with availability calendar and secure checkout
- Printable QR rebook card for inside your rental
- Basic guest email capture form
- One revision round, delivered in 5–7 business days
"Start here. Nothing else required."
Tier 2
Direct Rebook Kit
Setup: $1,250–$1,750
Optional: $49–$99/month
Past guests get an automatic rebook offer after checkout, and new guests start finding you on Google.
- Everything in Just the Site
- Post-stay email sequence (thank-you, rebook offer, referral invite)
- Google Business Profile setup
- Basic on-page SEO — title tags, meta descriptions, property keywords
- Monthly performance summary (visits, inquiries, direct bookings)
"Set it up once. Let it work while you host."
Tier 3
Rebook + Seasonal
Setup: $1,750–$2,500
Optional: $99–$179/month
Stay top-of-mind with past guests all year — fall foliage, ski season, summer weekends.
- Everything in Direct Rebook Kit
- Monthly seasonal guest email — local events, property news, booking offers
- 3–5 local SEO content pages (area guides, attractions, seasonal travel)
- Google Search Console setup and monthly ranking check
"Stay in front of past guests all year without lifting a finger."
Tier 4
Full Visibility
Setup: $2,500–$3,500
Optional: $249–$399/month
2+ properties or a competitive tourist market — brand-new guests finding you on Google, not just repeats.
- Everything in Rebook + Seasonal
- Ongoing local SEO: keyword targeting, content, backlink building
- Monthly blog or area guide post (e.g. "cabin rentals near [your area]")
- Monthly ranking and traffic report
"Turn your site into a booking engine that works 24/7."
The math that makes this simple
At these rates, one extra direct booking per month often covers the monthly fee entirely.
Tier 2 at $99/month — one $150/night direct booking saves $23.25 in Airbnb fees. Two bookings covers the monthly fee with room to spare.
Tier 3 at $149/month — two direct bookings per month covers the fee and nets you ahead vs. paying Airbnb on every stay.
Tier 4 at $299/month — two to three direct bookings per month covers the fee; every booking after that is pure margin improvement.
Flat-fee site payback
The one-time site pays for itself after just 11–15 direct bookings — and every direct booking after that is extra margin in your pocket.
No revenue share. No lock-in. Cancel monthly services anytime.
Start with just the site. Add post-stay emails, seasonal updates, or full SEO later — only if it fits your budget and goals.
Contact
Curious how this could work for your place?
Happy to walk through it — no pitch, just a conversation between hosts.
Email: james@peacemakersai.com
Thanks — message received.
I'll reply personally within a business day or two.